Friday, 30 May 2014

Let's just get one thing out of
the way, 'Golden Charms' sounds like a teeth-rottingly sweet cereal made by a
chemical company with questionable morals. However, I can't stream cereal
through Soundcloud so I'm fairly sure this is music and upon pressing play my
suspicions are confirmed. This new EP from Totnes quintet kicks off with the
title track, 'Golden Charms', which, after some initial atmospherics and spoken
word, explodes in to the kind of song that would absolutely kill in a packed
tent at any of the UK's bigger festivals. The balance of this lead track is
somewhere between the raw energy of Brother & Bones and the studied
song-crafting of the Maccabees or Bombay Bicycle Club. Following on is
'September', a much gentler and more tender song that steers just clear of
being featured in a sausage advert but could easily be compared to the likes of
Damien Rice, David Kitt or, at a push, Ed Sheeran.

The sweeping, swooning, slightly
prog-ish guitars that introduce 'Letters' are a thing of soothing beauty as I
write this at nearly 1.00am on a Saturday morning and it's easy to see why so
many people are drawn in to the flame of this band and their enigmatic leader,
Matthew Board. This third song builds to a cacophonous crescendo as the whole
band layer on sounds and ideas like mattresses being piled high in the town
square to see if the moon can be reached and pulled down from the sky. The EP
finishes up with 'Rose To Find', a sinister and morose song played out on
acoustic guitar and a healthy relationship with regret and heartbreak. Matthew
& Me are certainly a talented bunch but most importantly they've got the
songs to back up the technical talent and then passion to see it through. For
fans of Elbow, Brother & Bones, Treetop Flyers and the Maccabees this is
hot top for a new favourite. For fans of Mumford & Sons this is an absolute
must - you need to hear what else there is out there. This is some fine, fine
music....definitely not cereal.

So, if you take one member of
Teenage Fanclub, force him to collaborate with a London based artist on a
series of songs and videos you could reasonably expect this first taster to be
gentle, acoustic tinged pop with a Belle and Sebastian tone and some charming
black and white animation. Well, expect away because that's exactly what you
get with 'Sympathy For Jean-Luc Godard'. The gentle repeated refrain of 'Je
t'aime Godard' is a beautifully soft expression of love whilst the counter argument
of 'Je n'aime pas Monsieur Guy Ritchie, his films mean nothing to me' shows
off the understated sense of humour of Macdonald. One could argue that this
goes on a bit at nearly seven minutes in length but if you think about it more
as an animated short film with a continuous film then it makes more sense and
you'll be able to sleep better at night. Delightful stuff and I look forward to
hearing/seeing the rest. Especially if there is a short folk song about just
how bad that film 'The Holiday' is. Seriously, that film made me angry on the
inside and I can't forgive it for that.

Now, I don't normally review the
odd track that is sent out as a warning shot from an EP or Album but I've got a
soft spot for Lovestarrs and I want you to share in my weakness because that
makes it feel more normal and less seedy. 'Bullet' will form part of an EP
that's due out in August but it is already the best pop song that's been
released this year, no diggity. With superhero lyrical themes, the trio channel
the raw sex of Goldfrapp, the cool of the Long Blondes and the pop of Sugababes
or Girls Aloud at the absolute peak and it's that last point that's so
impressive - Lovestarrs are better than some of the UK's biggest pop acts on
this track and it's not even a single. Imagine what they could do if they
actually tried? This is how pop should be made; with edge, melodies, beats and
subtle sex appeal - It's a wink and a lick of the lip rather than a padded
cleavage and a grab of the crotch. Superb.

Derby quintet have a new single
out in a few days and they went the extra mile to get the artwork sorted out by
buying and then torching Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters, now that's commitment. The
song itself, 'Relic', starts off as something between a Paul McCartney album
track and a Paul Weller single which doesn't inspire a great deal of enthusiasm
for the plodding piano melody and lazily strummed guitar. However, half way through this tune there is a
subtle little instrumental breakdown and the tone changes with the piano riff
taking on some more minor notes and the guitar getting a bit more bite to it.
This entirely changes the feel of the song and takes it in a new direction that
is not what I expected but is really pretty good. There are ideas here and an
ability to craft a song so I'd definitely be interested in hearing more of
those ideas in the form of songs. Intrigued? You betcha.

Holding my hands up here, on
first listen I really wasn't overly impressed with this album from
Wolverhampton sextet Silhouettes. But then I was stuck in traffic and I gave it
another go for sake of fairness. The traffic was awful but the album got
better. The album opened with what turns out to be an absolute belter in 'Gold
Tag' which is part way between the jauntier side of Radiohead and a more
confident Bon Iver - it also has one of the best basslines ever. 'Creaking
Universe' is atmospherically beautiful in a very Jeff Buckley kind of way while
'Sacrifice' is a tune sent forward in time from the 80s to get pouty people
dancing in the most minimalist way possible. The squelchy synth intro to 'Cold
Water/Grey Flesh' is a delight like Air with Robert Smith on half-assed vocals
- half-assed in a good way, though. And then things go full on Thom Yorke as 'I
Miss You, I Want You, I Need You, I Love You' mumbles drunken remorse over
tenderly caressed keys.

Recent single 'Prufrock's Dream'
is a maelstrom of buzzing, angry bees that come flying from guitars as the
spirits of Buckley and Yorke fight to emerge from Nathan Till's throat and the
drums shuffle like a sinister Middle Eastern private detective in the shadows.
'Scuff Marks' is a beautifully haunting piece of twilight music that grows in
to a Sigur Ros-esque sprinkly pop-romp from the edgy side of town. Silhouettes
have definitely listened to their fair share of high quality indie over the
years and this comes through in their handcrafted songs that are given the time
to breathe on this record. 'Ferry Me
Away' is a beautiful example of this while 'Black Within The Black' is a
Delphic meets Joy Division piece of dark alternative-dance that should appeal
to indie purists. The album closes with 'Boys', a tune of sombre beauty with
more Radiohead overtones but with a more crooning feel - like a depressed Tony
Christie singing with a downbeat Royksopp....in a good way. So, for once, a
traffic jam had a benefit that far outweighed the downside of staring at
someone else's bumper for an hour. I'm not sure that should go on the tour
poster though

Thursday, 29 May 2014

Got your best stomping boots on?
Got your amps all turned up to 11? Got a bottle of whiskey within arm's reach? Good,
because Londoners Saint Agnes are ready blow your world wide open with their
blues infused rock'n'roll full of sinister overtones and sleazy undertones.
'Old Bone Rattle' starts off with one hell of a mule kick as the guitars slither
in and out of your ears but after a while the funereal organs take over and the
song ends with tinge of having got the job done...but at what cost? B-Side
'Roadside Blues' is an acoustic strum intermingled with some charming harmonica
and smoky, sultry vocals that really only ought to come from the darkened
corner of a bar with bare brick walls and a barman with more tattoos that hairs
on his head. Or her head. Perfect for the dirty blues fan in you.

Wednesday, 28 May 2014

This is the perfect music for
this time of year if you live anywhere slightly rural and, preferably, if you
live near some naturally occurring water. Steve Folk and Jane South, y'see,
recorded this on a narrowboat and that sensation of gently moving water is ever
present in the gently rippling guitars of 'Modern Day Gypsies' and the floating
flute of 'Spare Part'. They just go for all out water sounds on 'Don't Look
Down' but the luscious acoustic, Folk's calming vocals and that cheeky flute
paint a watercolour of an idyllic lifestyle within which to create music. The
chugging engine of a tractor blends with a haunting flute drone to open 'By The
Cherry Tree' and the vocals of Folk and South blend sublimely like scones and
clotted cream. This collection closes with 'Ugly Man', a song that floats and
burns brightly on occasions like the dying embers of a camp fire in the evening
light. This is gentle, calming and soothing music with plenty of heart so if
you're in need of something to soundtrack some quality time lying in a field
with a straw hat on your face then this is for you.

Campbell, Chesel, Erik, Gunnar
and Peter. Now that's a collection of manly man's names which can only produce
fine, chiselled rock music for sure. Well, not exactly. The quintet from
Halifax (the Canadian one) actually produce scratchy, awkward indie music like
a less slick Vampire Weekend but with wit and a laid back air that suggests
they don't give a damn what you think. 'Beast Coast' opens up this short album
as the band sing as one about "bros with baseball caps and aviators
on" and "with every bottle opened there's adventure being born"
as the song goes on for nearly seven minutes to spawn what must be the first
sighting of slacker-indie-prog. 'Heading East' is a gently swaying piece of
summery indie like Tennis at the end of the night or Weezer on a Sunday morning
after a heavy party round the pool while 'Dieter' tells of drug taking doves
and vomiting in sinks, naturally.

There is an almost Franz
Ferdinand swagger to 'Pleasantly Surprised' but with a definite Atlantic twang
before 'Spider Monkey' takes a simple garage riff, throws in some Beach Boys
and then does its best to sound like Bryan Ferry or Sparks. There is a certain
innocent lack of subtlety about the cherry popping ode to sex that is 'Mrs
Beauville' which is hard to resist while closing track 'Years Young' is the
kind of song that only a group of good buddies with guitars and beers could
write without it sounding like it's trying too hard. I get the feeling these
guys will get a tonne of gigs on the basis of being a good laugh and fun to
hang around and, baby, there's nothing wrong with that. That's what the church
of rock'n'roll was built on. I mean, imagine this as a chat up line "Hey,
I'm Gunnar and I'm in a band called Gnarwhalz, wanna get high?". I'm moist
already.

Time to make my almost weekly
visit to Canada as Toronto duo 9Yrs have popped up with a new album of big
sounding pop-rock tunes for your delectation. Ivie and Derek might not be the
most rock'n'roll names but opening track 'Chemical Love Letters' is a powerful
piece of pop-rock that features gorgeous vocal melodies and some relentless
rhythms that give this a truly uplifting feel. On to 'Vintage Girl' and the
mood shifts to a more Coldplay vs Snow Patrol indie ballad feel while 'Shooting
Erica' has more of an edge and those big, pounding drums are back again to
provide the perfect foil to Ivie's sweet vocal tones. 'Burning The Bridge' is
pure Joshua Tree-era U2 but with more of a 21st century rumble to it while 'Darkhorse'
has a feel of Katy Perry crossing over to a darker place, musically speaking.

Looking at the duo's influences,
they cite the likes of U2, Catherine Wheel, Sugar and Filter and this all comes
through in the big sounding tunes but slick song writing on this album. On
'November 30th' the double act get more introspective before 'Radio Daze' hits
you like Pink! on a rampage with her girlfriends. 'She He Him' has a scuzzy,
fuzzy appeal to the guitars while 'Thirteen' channels those U2 vibes again but
with vocals that you might expect to come from a million selling pop star doing
their 'tender' anthem for the kids. That's the clever juxtaposition here in the
balance between stadium sized rock and arena shaped pop that 9Yrs blend so well
on tracks like 'All' and 'Playlists From Last Night'. There are quite a lot of
tracks on this album, maybe a few too many if I'm being brutally honest, but
closing up with 'Tastes Like Saints' is a triumphant, arms in the air anthem
that you can almost hear festival crowds roaring along to if you listen really
carefully. Yet again, Canada, you've given me something a bit different. I'm
going to have to come and give you a big pat on your Canadian backs one of
these days.

I think I might be a little bit
in love. I mean, not leave my girlfriend love but certainly mild-infatuation
love. The Coppertone, aka the visually and aurally arresting Red, is
responsible for this sudden rush of amore and her new EP is somewhere between a
love letter and a calling card. Opening up with the slap in the face and high
heel to the chest of 'Woman To Woman' is a bold statement as I'm transported to
a gig where the Black Keys are jamming with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club whilst
Annie Lennox sings at her soulful best over the top. I'm already loosening my
tie and breathing heavily before 'Young Blood' sashays in to the room with an
80s rock vibe and, once again, that voice
knocks me sideways as the guitars struggle to keep up with the power and tone
coming from Red's lungs.

The dirty, filthy, downright
sleazy riff that opens up 'Son Of A Gun' is all about roadside bars full of
bikers before The Coppertone opens up the door and lets in shafts of melody to
miraculously turn the ugly scene in to something magical and wondrous. The EP
finishes up with 'Dead Set', a song placed somewhere between Florence + The
Machine, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Veruca Salt, The Dead Weather. Here we have a
musician with talent, passion, blues, soul, an edge and one heck of a voice.
Like I said, I'm in love and I fully expect you to be too once you've heard
this. Oh, and if that ain't enough, Red also hunts out antiques and wins
bowling competitions in her spare time. Sigh....

More information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coppertone/482377695283?ref=hl

Those Zagreb boys are back with
another six tracks of furious rock'n'roll straight from Satan's garage on
Kick-Ass boulevard so make sure your daughters, sisters and, probably, mother's
are locked up. There is no subtle introduction here as the band launch in to
the riotous anti-life anthem 'Go Quit' which is full of thrashing guitars,
crashing cymbals and a vocalist with a penchant for spitting lyrics rather than
crooning them. 'Bad Movie' is the song that was thrown out of Grease for
getting too many of the Pink Ladies pregnant while 'Told You So' is the
illegitimate little brother of 'Great Balls Of Fire' that grew up listening to
scratchy punk records. I'm rattling through this as only 2 of the six songs are
longer than two minutes but these guys don't have time to hand around and
explain themselves. Especially not to you.

The scuzzy bass and guitar riff
of 'I Don't Know' is pure Stooges with an adrenaline shot before 'Blackout'
comes crashing in with the spirit of Liam Lynch's 'United States Of Whatever' in
black denim and dark glasses with a quiff the size of Andre the Giant's fist.
This album, all 12 minutes of it, finishes off with a song called 'U E O' for
the pure reason that those are the lyrics apart from the odd 'yeah!'. This is
not thinking music, this is drinking, dancing and rutting music so don't treat
it as anything else or you'll just disappoint yourself. EkeBuba, on the other
hand, never disappoint.

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

For a band that list At The
Drive-In, Rancid and Against Me! as influences, this new EP by Wigan upstarts
Venture starts with a distinctly light and airy number. The opening track,
'Stay With Me' is a bouncy, acoustic lead and ukulele infused piece of
indie-ska with soft soulful vocals from Lucy Burrows and a sense of youthful
exuberance. The next track is 'Venture', an even more lilting number with
elements of Kate Nash and No Doubt as the male vs female vocals play back and
forth off each other in a gentle but lively fashion.

'Never Grow Old' is perhaps the
most poppy and mainstream track here as the ska rhythms jerk from the speakers
and the vocals are pitched somewhere between US emo and angst-pop with a
relatively pleasing outcome. The EP finishes up with the title track, 'Stay
True', and after four tracks it's clear that Venture have a real knack for
writing catchy, pop melodies over ska rhythms with perfectly pitched vocal
harmonies and a hint of up tempo folk. So, as a package, this should go down
pretty well but if I had to offer one word of advice it would be to beef the
sound up a bit as all the tracks sound a little bit thin. The key thing is the
songwriting though and that's nailed down so everything else is just fluff and
production.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/VentureMusicOfficial?fref=ts

Monday, 26 May 2014

Toronto trio Stereoblastula have
made one decision so far in their careers and that is to have awesome names.
Stereoblastula is a great name in itself but the members go by the names Moves
Johnson, PK Smooth and Sexodus which, I think you'll all agree, are pretty
awesome names. It's surprising, then, that the first track goes by the fairly
mundane title 'Jessica' but the sub-two minute opener is an impassioned plea to
a girl who at last one of the band has messed around is now possibly stalking.
'Aim For The Sun' continues the theme of acoustic lead but lively tunes with a
playful heart and sound that falls somewhere between Flight Of The Conchords
and the Ataris. Third track 'Tunnels' is a mellower affair with laid back
strumming in the spirit of Crash Test Dummies and a lyrical theme that is
possibly about agoraphobia but that might be completely wrong. This EP finishes
up with 'Action Key' which has more power than the other three tunes but also
has some truly grating guitar playing which sounds a quarter tone for large
portions of the song. Nevertheless, there is a certain charm about this band
and their EP will find a place in the hearts of many an indie fan around the
world. And if nothing else, they have awesome-balls names.

I listened to the first half of
this song four times before I was sure the beat was playing out the way it was
intended and it wasn't just the internet playing silly buggers with me.
Nevertheless, the beat is exactly the way American indie types Clap Your Hands
Say Yeah intended it to be which is somewhat disconcerting. You see, 'As
Always' is a lovely, gentle and slightly melancholy song with some heartfelt
vocals on display but the beat for the first half of the song sounds like a
semi-competent 11 year old drummer trying to keep time and I should know, I
live with one. However, as the song progresses and the Elbow-esque crescendo
builds the beat and the melody somehow reconcile and it all makes sense. I
don't know how intentional this was but essentially CYHSY have created the
musical equivalent of struggling through High School Maths classes until that
glorious, relief filled day when you finally get trigonometry and all the
clunky numbers in your head suddenly fall in to line. It's not quite Math-rock
but there is something gloriously refreshing about the way this song presents a
problem and then resolves it. Either that or my internet is playing REALLY
silly buggers.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/clapyourhandssayyeah?fref=ts

Like it or not, the World Cup is
coming and this time it's being hosted by the Brazilians so it's sure to be a
spectacle unlike anything we've ever seen before. I spent a little time in the
country a few years ago and it's impossible not to fall in love with the
people, the culture, the way of life and music....oh, and the caipirinhas. This
being a music blog, though, we'll stick to talking about the music and,
luckily, we some cracking stuff to talk about. Around 20 years ago the dudes at
Far Out Records had a mission to bring Brazilian music to the dancefloors of
the Northern hemisphere and this record is the culmination of the project
bringing together legendary musicians from the country on one record. The likes
of Alex Halheiros, Aleh Ferreira, Robertinho Silva and Hyldon are all here to
help you shake what your mama gave you and loosen those hips up.

This album is perfect summer
music whether you recognise the tunes or not and there will be some that you do
like the sublimely infectious 'Mas Que Nada'. Of course,there are others that
will be less familiar like the supremely chilled 'Veneno' which is perfect
cocktails'n'sunsets music with some gorgeous 70s synth to counteract the
popping funk bass line. The funk continues on 'Garota' but then those sexy,
laid back vocals come sliding in and that latin vibe takes you to a warmer
place where the beer is always cold and breeze is forever warm. There are
thirteen tracks on this collection and it's difficult to pick them apart as
they work best together to create the best hour and ten minutes you could
possibly hope. Equal measures of funk, soul, bossa nova and downright sexy
vibes blend to make a heady cocktail that you drink all night with no hangover
to fear the next day. 'Aguai' is all about the funk, 'Batucada Bidu' is full
samba rhythms to move your feet to, 'Fogo No Chao' is the lost them tune to a
70s Brazilian TV show about a pair of cops who have a love hate relationship
with each other and the law while 'Anthemia' starts like a Euro-pop hit from
the 80s before the accordion is accompanied by some seriously danceable beats.

The album finishes up with the
funky 'Leite De Pedra' before the orientally inspired 'Japa' gets sounds out of
a piano that are to die for. So here's my tip for you: head over to the website
below and download this collection. While it's downloading, go whip up a jug of
caipirinhas, get your Panini sticker album out get yourself thoroughly ready
for the World Cup. Even if you don't like football, the music and strong
alcohol content of the aforementioned cocktail will make you happy so you won't
care one bit! Now pop on your shiniest thong and let's party!

There's something happening on
the dance scene at the moment that I can't quite put my finger on but there
seems to be a move towards making dance more of a live experience again and
getting back to the spirit of those big 90s dance hits that we all still fondly
remember. Dr Meaker's latest offering epitomises this spirit beautifully and it
has an infectiousness that is hard to resist - I wouldn't even bother trying if
I were you. 'Right Back (feat. Sian Evans)' is full of sexy horn blasts,
frantic beats, sensuous strings, cheeky synths and, crucially, the soulfully
dusky vocals of Sian Evans. If you hear this blaring from a car this summer
then don't be surprised and try not to hate the passengers too much - if you
were in the car you'd be having a great time. I'm not suggesting you start
hitch-hiking though, be safe out there kids.

Friday, 23 May 2014

There is something astoundingly
sexy and sleazy about this EP from the word go as North-Eastern five piece
Cellar Door come back with three new songs and a couple of interludes. The
opening track, 'Jackals', starts off all Black Rebel Motorcycle Club before
developing in to latter day Kasabian and generally stumbling drunk around a
house party with a bottle of Jack in one hand and it's cock in the other. The
gentle Mariachi strains of 'Interlude 1' cleanse the pallet before 'Angelica'
enters the room surrounded by an air of cool that would normally be reserved
for the likes of Jim Morrison, George
Harrison or Jimmy Page. 'Interlude 2' is a rambling, noodly piece of guitar
music that I won't remember tomorrow but the rip-snorting, balls to the wall
rock'n'roll of 'Bandito' is a real eye opener and suddenly Ozzy Osbourne in his
prime has arrived at the party. So, essentially, Cellar Door create music that
sounds like BRMC, Kasabian, Jim Morrison and Ozzy Osbourne hanging out in a
dark, smoke filled room with whiskey dripping from the walls and the walls
dripping in front of your LSD soaked eyes. I'd invite you to the party but I'm
fairly sure you're half way there already.

Thursday, 22 May 2014

The three wildebeasts that make
up Cave Mouth live on the wilds of the moors on a diet of road kill and cider,
according to their press, but they find time between gnawing at raw meat and
starting small fires to make a little music. This 7 track album opens with the
bluesy stomp of 'Reset' which rattles along on a steely acoustic, pounding
drums and some gorgeous vocal harmonies. 'Lovin' In The Street' is up next but
sounds a little too streetwise to have been created on the moors unless some
kind of fever brought on by drinking stagnant water from a pond has created
this kind of 'talking in tongues' magic that is sure to scare the locals. The
electro beats that open 'Spider' are a dead giveaway that these guys at least
have a caravan but the blend of beats and Spanish guitar is surprisingly
appealing.

There's a groove to 'Up On' that
you can almost imagine snaking out of a cave, luring you in sensuously to dance
with the devil's mistress and drink her foul wine - don't though, it's not
properly chilled and those glasses could do with a wash. Similarly, 'Distant
Shores' has a seductive quality but also the ability to make you dance to the foot
stomping rhythm and finger blistering acoustic strummage all wrapped in some
silky smooth vocals with joyous harmonies. This album closes with the
stunningly funky and soulful 'Eat Us Up' which strides in to view in black
leather trousers, a cowboy hat and with a shiny acoustic guitar strapped to its
back. Cave Mouth have a great sense of mystery around them which is always
intriguing but there's no confusion about the music - it's great, rootsy fun
and will go down well on the festival circuit this summer.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cave-Mouth/200251623444291?fref=ts

Ready for something a bit
different? Well sit back and let Chipper Jones wash over you. The Texas duo
have a 10 track EP (I'm letting this one slide for reasons I can't explain)
which starts with the organ chillout of 'Sketch 1: Chautauqua' leading in to
'Scout (live)' which immediately picks up the pace as staccato guitars dance
with clicky percussion and crazy little electro bleeps. 'Sketch 2: Rhombus' is
up next and those perky little guitars keep coming like Dutch Uncles' younger
brother without the daily dose of Ritalin. The guitars on 'Riverburn (live)'
are, frankly, mental but in the best kinda way while 'Sketch Three: Movements'
is a more mellow affair that reminds me of the criminally underrated Ions In
the Ether.

This is experimental,
instrumental stuff created by two guys who clearly have a connection on a
creative level but like guys making each other laugh in bars, the joke is never
as funny when explained to another and the badly recorded spoken word of 'Wild
Senna' is a great example of this. 'Sketch Four: Warm' is a summery afternoon
of rippling keys leading in to 'Sketch Five: Two Rooms', a real dawn chorus of
a melody played on a piano with lashings of delay. Now, this might lose
something in translation but the next song up is 'Amarillo' (no, not that one)
which drifts out of the speakers like dusk in the Grand Canyon before the final
track, 'Headrush', brings back those rippling guitars that behave like flitting
bugs. The reason I can forgive a 10 track collection being termed an EP is that
half the tracks are like long intros to the other half but it works incredibly
well and creates sumptuous sound scapes to die for.

As band names go, Bastard
Mountain is pretty cool. It's also the way I imagine Peter Kay would react upon
climbing half way up Everest and realising that it isn't the summit. 'Farewell,
Bastard Mountain' is a collaborative effort from a whole host of different band
members and is an understated triumph of folky delights as instantly exemplified
by the opening two tracks 'Meadow Ghosts' and 'Drone Armatrading'. There is a
subtle beauty to this stuff that seeps out via the strings on 'The Mill' or the
delicate strumming on 'Swam Like Sharks' or the sweet, sweet countrified vocals
on 'Something On Your Mind'. This is certainly not album for those that like
things at high octane levels but if you like to stare out at bleak coastal
scenes on grey, blustery days then this might just be the album for you.

The nearly mumbled vocals of
'Pissing On Bonfires' draw you in and wrap you in the warmth of the guitar
notes rumbling out of my headphones before 'Old Habits' ambles in like an
arthritic Italian donkey with eyes full of wisdom and a soul full of stories.
'Palisade' is a Nick Cave tune through and through with long Cello drones
providing the nearest thing to a melody while 'My Crime' is a sparse and
haunting piece of gorgeousness in the vein of First Aid Kit or Johnny'n'June.
The album finishes up with 'New Boy', probably the most lively track in this
collection, which has a real sense of 6 Day Riot about it as the Scottishness
seeps from every orifice. Like I said, not an album to go jogging to but a
stroll in the bleak wilderness might be the perfect time for this kind of
tender beauty.

A singing drummer eh? You don't
see that every day. Apart from Phil Collins and Dave Grohl. But they don't do
much singing whilst drumming at the same time. Someone who does, however, is
Kylee Kimbrough of Atlanta trio Dasher and their new single 'Go Rambo' is an
absolute belter. Kimbrough's pounding drums (which need a bit of a clean
judging from the video) combine with a chugging bass line and guitar notes that
float off in to the distance before the drummer starts to roar and bellow whilst
playing those drums like Keith Moon's illegitimate daughter. Somewhere between
the Gossip, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Queens Of The Stone Age, Dasher are worth
keeping an eye and an ear on if this burst of aggression and raw sex appeal is
anything to go by.

U.S. nutso rockers Powerman 5000
are back with their latest album and you better be wearing a seat belt before
you let this one rip. Feeling safe? Well you're not. The album explodes in to
life with the incendiary 'Invade, Destroy, Repeat' which goes from nought to 80
in less than a second and then proceeds to beat you around the head with
furious beats and guitars that Matt Bellamy would be proud of. This is punk
metal, if such a thing exists, and continues with 'We Want It All', a tune that
fans of Tool or A Perfect Circle will be keen to lose their minds to. 'How To
Be Human' channels Depeche Mode having a go at electro-metal while the superbly
titled 'You're Gonna Love It, If You Like It Or Not' is a like A's angrier but
sexier older brother.

There's a fine line between this
kind of electro-rock and the soulless stuff that tends to get churned out by
Baltic states during Eurovision and Powerman 5000 stay just on the right side
although 'Builders Of The Future' gets dangerously close. 'I Want To Kill You'
starts off with Portishead atmospherics and a simple acoustic riff before
building in to a cinematically dark climax before 'Modern World' swaggers in
with a pair of Google glasses on and a bionic cock controlled by bluetooth. Somewhere
between Aerosmith and Linkin Park is where 'Live It Up Before You're Dead'
exists and that is a pretty fun place to be but 'I Can't Fucking Hear You' is
the big, big tune we've been waiting for. The too-cool-for-school riff that
rolls in to action followed by the booming drums and snarling vocals are just
too much to resists so I'm not going to bother trying. 'Evil World' is an 80s
inspired piece of electro-rock beauty and it brings the album to a close
perfectly. Essentially, Powerman 5000 are the band that would have travelled
back in time with Bill and Ted if there had been more space in the phone booth.
And it's a shame because these guys would cause all kinds of chaos in an 80s
shopping mall.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/officialpowerman5000?fref=ts

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

There are few times in life when
you can be sure of anything but there are a few. A Kevin Spacey film is usually pretty
compelling, melted cheese improves almost all food stuffs and people wearing
socks with sandals are psychopaths. One new one to add to the list is that
Steve Albini makes anything he touches rock in a huge way. Albini has recently
been touching Dead Waves (not even going to apologise for that) and the
Brooklyn hard rockers have benefited from that. If you like supernova sized
riffs that bleed violently in to one another, punctuated only by the pounding
of Viking drums and the screams of a man who cannot find the cable for his
laptop then you're going to love these guys. 'Oracles Of The Grave' is one of
the heaviest, darkest and most on edge records I've heard in a long time but I
don't expect everyone to like this as it's not something you'll sing along to
or have as the first dance at your wedding. Although.........

Save The Radio - Calculating The Sum Of Your Life EP
(Tazbull Records)

Save The Radio - Calculating The Sum Of Your Life

I can only get behind the name of
this band as an instruction as we all need to keep our favourite radio stations
on the air or risk them getting swallowed up in to the
mass-market-music-machine. Anyway, rant over. Florida gents Save The Radio have
a new EP of pop-punk rock for your delectation and it starts with the
infectiously energetic 'Life In Rewind' which is part Blink 182, part A and
part watered down Foo Fighters. 'Add It Up' has a pleasingly pulsing bass line
and that kind of commercial, polished US sound that sells big units on
mainstream radio and, with the right hook, can make bands in to superstars. There's
something strange about 'Higher Than Heaven' that reminds of the kind of songs
that feature in heartbreaking moments on South Park or Flight Of The Conchords and
go on way too long with slightly over sincere vocals. By the time we get to
'Broken Road' we're in full on Snow Patrol meets Nickleback territory and the
energy of earlier tracks has been replaced by the kind of acoustic led rock
that is usually only performed by bands who have formed around singer-songwriters
who got bored of drinking alone. Final track 'As Long As You're With Me
(Homeword Bound)' is prime for the end of a rom-com where love triumphs against
all odds and could easily be a Bryan Adams power-ballad. Now, to be fair, there
aren't many bands doing big ol' rock ballads these days but that's not
necessarily a bad thing.

Technically I think this is
supposed to be a mini-album but at only five tracks long I'm making a stand for
common sense and labelling this an EP review, at most. Whatever you call it,
this collection is the sum of a collaboration between Scandinavian pop giants
Royksopp and Robyn and it starts with
the mellow but simultaneously epic nearly 10 minutes of 'Monument'. It's
beautifully relaxed stuff that is prime for some beach time but there's a bit
of ill advised sax work at the end that kind of spoils it. But no matter, we
move on and find 'Sayit' which is more up-tempo and lively with a trance vibe, some
utterly sleazy synth melodies and Robyn apparently getting it on with a robot.
And then, right in the middle, comes the recent single 'Do It Again' which
still sounds like a huge, crowd pleasing dance anthem that even the snobbiest
of music critics would be unable to resist.

'Every Little Thing' starts like
Groovejet's 'Spiller' before morphing gently in to a blend of A-ha and Roxette
as produced by the Human League with a dark overtone to the song although it
never quite gets going in the way you might hope. The EP finishes up with 'Inside
The Idle Hour' which is the most Royksopp-esque tune on here as melodies swoop
like a group of swallows in a green valley at sunset. 'Do It Again' is clearly
the stand out track here but as collaborations between superstars go this is
pretty cool stuff. Plenty of live dates to get your teeth in to as well so
strap on your dancing shoes and get out there.

Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Well this is a bit different, in
more than one way. Firstly, it's pretty rare to get a release from a band made
up of a father and son duo which is the case with Tree Dwellers, aka Mark and
Jake Haslam. Secondly, it's not often you get music this imaginative and
arresting pop up in your inbox with something of a muted fanfare. 'Come Up And
See' rides a wave of chords and licks played out on a growly bass guitar with
chilled out beats, violin stabs, looped spoken word and a sense that everything
is alright with the world. This is beach music but maybe for that sunset moment
when you have to start thinking about either going back to your hotel or taking
the party to the next level. Somewhere else on the same beach are Lemon Jelly,
Bent and a thoroughly remixed Jose Gonazlez all chilling out to the same
blissed beats and head bobbing grooves. Superb stuff but in a very understated
way like a girl with supermodel looks in a baggy old t-shirt and denim shorts.
Effortless.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tree-Dwellers/1432174900357297?fref=ts

Despite sounding like an
unsuccessful make of car, Winchester Revival are actually something of an
intense indie rock band from East Bay area of California and, for a band that
has only writing for a year or so, they are pretty damn tight. This EP kicks off
with the infectious and delicious 'Chemical Yellow' full of ambitious rhythms
and Foals melodies - something that you don't always expect from American
bands, no offence! 'Matterhorn' is up next and is an altogether mellower affair
with sweeping guitars and rolling, expansive melodies in the vein of Incubus at
their most experimental or any range of prog bands with half an eye on harmony.
If you imagine the Killers and Mansun heading back to the 80s to record a track
with Duran Duran on production duties then you're getting close to the sound
created on 'Wonderland' which is as ridiculous and gorgeous as it you imagine.
The closing track is 'Submarine Bell', a track with Echo & The Bunnymen
swagger and darkly sexy intent that you wouldn't want to meet on a dark night
but then again.....maybe you would. Winchester Revival are one of those bands
that might not get a huge amount of success in the US but their sound will
travel well and UK audiences are sure to lap this up. Beautiful stuff.

Liverpudlian quartet Bring You
Down have a new single out for your enjoyment via the marvellously named Melted
Leather Records. 'Bring You Down' starts off with a wall of thrashing drums and
beefy guitar riffs before the emotive if slightly lacking in power vocals kick
in. City Rise claim their influences to be the likes of Incubus and the
Gaslight Anthem which is enough to peak my interest but sadly this single lacks
the melodies, hooks or vocal roar that would put them in the same category.
Still, this didn't pick me up so I guess the single did what it said on the tin
- points for honesty, then.

Thursday, 15 May 2014

Before listening to a note of
this I can already tell that Black Strobe are one of the coolest bands around.
Black Strobe is a damn cool name. Black Strobe are from a damn cool city, Paris.
Black Strobe dress in damn cool and nicely fitted suits. Black Strobe are cool.
'Going Back Home' is also cool. Deep, smooth continental vocals pour like a
thick red wine gravy over meaty basslines, crunchy beats and succulent synths
to create something in the realm of Transformer or Hot Chip but with more sex
appeal. There's a b-side to this single as well (even cooler) in the shape of
'The House Of Good Lovin'' which is essentially about the house next door to
the house of the rising sun with groove heavy guitar riffs, Glam-rock beats and
vocals that can surely only be sung with a cigarette hanging from the corner of
the mouth. For once I judged the book by its cover and the content of the book
was better than I expected. Win, win and
win.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/BlackStrobe.Official?fref=ts

Ulla Nova is one of those artists
who is either going to be huge or will be the slightest flash in the pan
followed by a lifetime of "I could have been a contender" fuelled
drinking benders. No half measures here. The debut single from the London based
chanteuse, 'Kid From London', starts off with the banjo sound from my first
Casio keyboard before bursting to life with a full on dirty pop stomper of a
tune. Part M.I.A., part Gwen Stefani, part Kylie and a little bit Robyn, Ulla
Nova certainly has the pop chops on this evidence but let's see if she can
follow it up with more than a flash in the pan. And maybe some outrageous
behaviour just to keep the tabloids interested.

Well this is a bit lovely. Chuck
some Arcade Fire in with some Indigo Girls and Laura Marling, slowly roast over
some gorgeous Motown beats and serve on a cold day. Essentially that's the
recipe for 'Prairie Girl' by Canadian troupe and it sure does make a tasty
soup, yesiree bob. This is the kind of uplifting indie that is normally
reserved for the new Apple ad campaign or the end credits of feel good movie starring
Michael Cera but this song comes with no trade-off in morals, it's just
gorgeous. From those punchy drums through to that velvet soaked in honey voice
via crunchy guitars this is an all out beauty of a song. Oh, and did I mention
you can download it for free? You're welcome.

Monday, 12 May 2014

Who's up for some
straight-down-the-line, no messing, indie-surf-pop with more melodies than you
can shake a bucket and spade at? Shame, cos that's exactly what we've got here.
Wesley Wolfe and his collected bandmates are a little bit adept at that style
of indie-pop that Reddkross and We Are Scientists do so well. The opening triumvirate
of tracks - 'Lost In My Daydreams', 'Cloud Cuckoo' and 'Fragment Of A Dream' -
are all sunny day songs with melodies that are made for lying in a field of
daisies doing so half-assed cloud spotting and generally letting life wash over
you. Title track, 'Numbskull', is a low-slung, Pixies inspired piece of
slackerdom while 'Jesus Eyes' has the sort of woozy, summer afternoon feeling
that Swim Deep manage so well but with a more crooning approach to the vocal
deliver that the likes of Eels and Jim Noir would approve of with a wry nod.

The second half of the album gets
underway with 'Deathrow' which has a Killers feel to it before 'Read My Mind'
is a more intense, Weezer-esque piece of surf-pop with thumping drums and
beautifully drawled vocals. There is an infectious urgency to 'Kissing Frogs' which
is somewhere between the Cure and Blink 182 (yeah, that's a place) but then
'You Complicate Everything' comes along like Franz Ferdinand with a West Coast
vibe. The final track, 'All That Matters', is very much a downturn in vibe
along the lines of Eels or Beck on a grey Sunday morning. I have to admit that I
was expecting more from this album going on the write up the PR company gave it
but actually this kind of music doesn't need selling. This is the musical
equivalent of that guy you've always known who just turns up at the pub and is
a pleasure to be around without being hilarious or a pain in the ass. This
album would always get a round in though and that's always that matters really.
Albums buying drinks. I need a lie down.

Ready for some more sweet, sweet
Canadian music? It's been at least a week since I've reviewed anything from the
maple loving nation so it's about time I got around to Ontario trio Lightmares
and their new album, provocatively titled 'Lightmares Are Rich And Educated'.
Jamie, Nicholas and Zack describe themselves fairly plainly as Punk Rock and
from the evidence on opening tracks 'The Sweat Of A Hero' and 'Confidence Rock'
they are pretty spot on with that analysis. By the time we get to soup, there
is a definite feeling that Lightmares are fond of big riffs, pounding drums and
a refreshing gang mentality that exudes fun and camaraderie. Now, they ain't
the best singers in the world but when you're a punk rock band I don't think
that really matters, especially when they're having as much fun as they
obviously are.

'Everything Avenue' is a more
laid back track with some suave guitar notes drifting through the distorted
bass lines before 'Worn A Mask' chugs in like a drunk arriving late to a dinner
party where he goes about telling the truth that everyone else is too polite to
mention. All class. The brooding bass that opens the one minute and fourteen
seconds of Nicholas Laments quickly becomes the entire song which is a brave
move - how many punk bands do you know that would put a track on an album that
is just a bass solo? 'Notamotto' is a gang anthem of pure punk proportions
while 'These Trying Times' is something of a punk ballad that's somewhere
between the Zutons, We Are Scientists and the Presidents Of The United States
Of America. Final track, 'So Free', which is a swaggering, sweating, leather
clad piece of rock'n'roll debauchery performing in a small room full of
flashing lights and heaving bodies. This is not the most acutely talented band
in the world but I bet their shows are a lot of fun and I reckon they can hold
their liquor too.

Sunday, 11 May 2014

I've got to admit, with a single
called 'Exhale' which is being sold as a sexy track for the summer, I fully
expected Hoda to be something of a soulless pop strumpet with the autotune
turned up to 11. But it's not, oh no. Hoda are a London based trio fronted by
Tehranian born singer-guitarist Hoda Mohajerani who trade in guitar driven
alternative music with a razor sharp edge. 'Exhale' starts off as a moody, PJ
Harvey-esque piece of indie but by the time we hit the chorus Hoda are
channelling the Pixies, the Breeders and Veruca Salt with singalong lyrics and
driving riffs. The B-side, 'No Surrender', a mellower affair and is also 7
minutes long. The song starts with an acoustic melody before those edgy guitars
and clattering drums puncture the serenity. This is a great single to announce
your intentions with and I look forward to hearing some more from these guys.

It's not often that I get an
album that features opera and chanting monks* in the first few seconds but then
again it's not that often I come across an album as mind blowing and genre
defying as 'An Anthology Of All Things' by the Johnny Parry Chamber Orchestra. So
let me guide you through this new and eye opening experience, we'll start at
the beginning. 'Movement I (Things I Like About Myself)' is grandiose piece of
rousing, classically inspired and opera tinged music that, upon its climax,
leaves you expecting Muse to appear in your kitchen ready to bust out some
stadium sized rock. But they don't. Instead, we have 'Movement II (A Song For
Someone)' which starts with a music box style melody played out on a piano overlaid
with a choir of rich, honey-thick male voices before female voices and a host
of subtle instrumentation joins in and the song continues in a round.
Meanwhile, 'Movement III (Childhood Heroes)' (see free download link below) is
a contender for parent of the year theme tune assuming some TV company already
has this concept in production deep in the heart of Soho.

Johnny Parry Chamber Orchestra - An Anthology Of All Things

By now, you'll have realised that
this isn't a typical band with a tight unit of mates or a front man/woman as a
focal point. No, This literally is an orchestra and the real star is arranger
and conductor Johnny Parry although there are other stars shining here too. The
Bedford Arts Choir are on group of heroes as their voices are so in unison and
so beautifully harmonised that you can just let yourself be swept away on a sea
of their talent. The public should also take a bow as all lyrics were donations
and 'Movement IV (1942)' is a great example of this as people were asked to
submit memories of that year which included notes on rationing, bombs and cake.
On 'Movement V (Park Benches)' you can feel every one of the 24 piece orchestra
as Soprano Donna Lennard takes centre stage before 'Movement VI (Romantic
Statements)' collects everything from chat up lines to notes of pure love and
displays it atop a 9 minute orchestral epic all held together with those 61
beautiful voices.

The album, which seems an awfully
pithy title to give such a collection, finishes with two dramatic pieces.
Firstly, 'Movement VII (Enduring Memories From A Film)' plays out emotions
derived from great moments of film on a bed of luscious strings, voices and,
eventually, that singularly stunning Soprana. The final act of this drama is
the mammoth 'Movement VIII (Pilgrimage)' which lasts for around 12 minutes and builds
to a heart warming, soul stirring, hair prickling crescendo. 'An Anthology Of
All Things' is an utter triumph and I take my hat off to everyone involved.
From those who conceived of the day, all those who contributed creatively and
to those who approved the funding for this creative tour de force. This is a
great advert for so many things from community and collaboration to
open-mindedness and boundary-ignoring. Most of all, it's a great advert for the
power of music to unite, entertain and communicate - all it was ever meant to
do.

* I can't be sure they are monks but they do make you think
'holy cow'.